Colchester United's U23s were beaten 4-1 by Sheffield United on Tuesday afternoon.
As expected, Sheffield United's youngsters started with a similar intensity to their first team, with lots of forward runs in possession and a pressing style when the U's had the ball.
The young U's side found it difficult in the early minutes to introduce their own playing style on the game and went 1-0 behind.
With a bit of bravery and belief though, the U's then started dictating the tempo of the game and had a twenty/twenty five minute spell where they were on top.
Playing some really good possession based football, an equaliser came on twenty six minutes through a triallist pouncing on a rebound after the Blades' keeper saved the initial effort.
If anything, half-time came too early, as it gave the visitors a chance to regroup and get back into the game - they did so by going ahead 2-1 early in the second half.
The U's stayed in the game though and created a few chances in the second half that could and maybe should have been converted.
The the ultimate price was paid and the U's ended up conceding two goals right at the end of the game to make the finishing score 4-1 to Sheffield United.
U23s Coach Dave Huzzey said after the game: "I was a little bit disappointed in how the game finished and expected a bit more from our lads to not let the game get away from them like they did."
"However, I can’t knock their work rate and application for eighty eight minutes of the game against a Premier League club.
"It what a great learning curve once again for this very young U23s side, and another positive was Tom Lapslie getting forty five minutes under his belt on his return to full fitness."